Shrewsbury town meeting gives OK to smaller library project

Wednesday

Oct 31, 2012 at 6:00 AMOct 31, 2012 at 6:04 AM

By Elaine Thompson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Town meeting members last night overwhelmingly supported a $50,000 appropriation to revamp the multimillion-dollar library renovation-expansion project that was narrowly defeated at the polls a year ago.

The money will be used to help pay to design a project that's 10 percent smaller and without a drive-through window, changes that residents said they want in order to support it.

Town meeting members approved the larger project last year, but voters rejected it at a special election by 153 votes.

Library officials asked for the $50,000 after being notified recently by the state that a $7.9 million grant that the town wasn't expecting until fiscal 2014 at the earliest is immediately available — once the project is approved by the state and voters approve funding the town's share of the project, estimated at $8.76 million.

Fundraising accounts for $1.75 million of the cost.

The new design work and a decision about how to best use the former Shrewsbury Credit Union property next door are expected to be completed by early 2013.

Approval for local funding for the new project will be back before voters no later than next fall.

Brian Austin, a Precinct 7 member with the Committee for a Smaller Library, said he's in favor of a “responsible” project. He said voters want a smaller, less expensive project.

The project will be reduced from 42,767 square feet to 38,490 square feet. Mr. Austin said the new proposal should come in at $13 million to $14 million, instead of the $18 million of the rejected project.

Other articles approved last night:

•Amendment of the waste disposal and landfill operation agreement between the town and Wheelabrator Millbury to provide for the construction and operation of a solar energy facility on a capped portion of the landfill.

•Amendment of the dog control law to specifically require a leash to be used to restrain dogs while outside the owner's property. Before, the bylaw only required a restraining device.

•A 25-year agreement with the state to lease land near the Irving A. Glavin Regional Center for $2 each year. The agreement includes a sublease to a farmer who uses part of the land and to Shrewsbury Youth Soccer, which uses the other part of the land.

The athletic organization has spent more than half a million dollars to develop the 12 to 14 fields on the property.